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The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Job 36:33 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
  • BSB The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
  • NKJV His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.
  • NASB “Its thundering voice declares His presence; The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.
  • NLT The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The thunder announces God's presence, and even the livestock sense the coming storm. Creation itself testifies to the approaching power of God.

Overview

This verse is somewhat difficult, but Elihu seems to say that the thunder declares God's coming and that even animals perceive the rising storm. All creation responds to the signs of God's might. The verse calls humanity to heed what even the beasts sense, the awesome nearness of God, and prepares for the climactic theophany when the LORD speaks from the whirlwind.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Job 37:2Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
  • Job 36:29Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
  • 2 Sam 22:14The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
  • Joel 2:22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
  • Jer 14:4–6Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
  • 1 Kgs 18:41–45And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
  • Joel 1:18How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Job videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Job 36:33YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JobMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.

How Job 36:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.